Don't Worry Mama • #Wattys2016

In Which We Get In Trouble

I leave the school, and feel my back pocket vibrate. I pull out my phone, and look at it.

Private Message: Drake

Drake:

Come home and take care of your husband.

I curse, and start running home. I get through my front door, and my mom looks at me.

"Cody is in pain and needs my assistance. I will be back by night fall! Love you!" I drop my bag, grab my phone and wallet. I run back out the door, and grab Carter's motorcycle and ride. I go down the streets, and come to the house I have grown rather familiar with. I shut off the bike, and rush inside.

"Ohh, hello Riley." Mrs. Maze smiles at me.

"Cody?" I ask, catching my breath.

"Upstairs." Her face drops its usual smile, and turns into one of worry. I rush upstairs, to find his brother trying to mend him.

"Hey." I wave, and Drake cheers.

"Fuckin finally, little sister. He's beat up pretty bad. Have fun." He dumps his mess in Cody's trash, and Cody attempts to sit up.

"No, Cods, stop." I help him back down, and get the med kit. I start with his face, and then get to te cuts on his chest.

"Are you going to be okay?" He asks me. I shrug.

"I don't know. I didn't expect to mend you up so much to be honest." I smile.

"But you expected to mend me up?" He asks. I nod.

"Yeah. But minor cuts and bruises though, don't expect me to cure a gash the size of your brother's fist." We laugh, and I look at him.

"Thank you." I nod.

"Who did this?" I lightly run a finger over his large bruise on his stomach.

"Jake. He learned your lesson about not hitting women, and decided to hit me to get revenge." I get up and hold my head in my hands. "Riley, it's okay. He got it worse." I shake my head and turn to face him.

"It's not that. It was my stupidity that got you here." He slowly gets up, and comes over to me.

"No, it was his stupid decision to hit Carly. If he had been good to her, he wouldn't have gotten whipped." He smiles. I shake my head.

"No, if I had just told him off, he wouldn't have attacked you. It was revenge, Cody. He didn't want to hit me because he's a coward, and couldn't face me himself. He had to to go after someone I care about to get me back." I turn to face the door. I feel his arms around my waist, and him lay his head on my shoulder.

"Well, he got what he deserved. I don't want you to fight him. Not if you don't have to." He turns me around, and looks me dead in the eye. "Promise me." I nod. He looks around, holds me against the wall, puts my hands out to where he can see them, and gives me a serious look. "Promise. Me. No nods, use your words. You will not fight Jake unless he starts it. Unless he starts beating the shit out of you, you will not fight him." I sigh.

"Okay, Cody. If it'll make you sleep better." He shakes his head.

"No, Riley. I need sincerity. It needs to be legit. No half way. We will not he half way, okay? When we make a promise, we keep it. All the way. Not word fights, or fist fights. When we say forever and always, we mean forever and always. When we say I love you, there has to be feeling to it. Half way sucks, and it is secretive. When we say we will tell each other everything, that means everything. No matter how boring. No matter how stupid, and no matter how dumb it is. When you feel emotion other than happiness, you tell me. No matter how dumb it may be." Tears start to pool in my eyes, and I nod.

"I promise, Cody. No half way." He kisses me, releasing my arms, and tightly wraps them around my waist. I curl my fingers in his hair, and kiss him back. We stay like this for a while, and he lets me go.

"No half ways." He whispers. I grin like an idiot.

"Forever and always." I kiss him lightly, and I go home.

As I do my nightly routine, I think of what had happened between us.

And I grin more and more as I think about it.

* Next Day *

Private Message: Him❤

Him❤:
Wake up my sleepyhead.

Nah, I'd rather not.

Him❤:
But today is my first day. I need my boo with me.

No you don't. You have studied the floor plan of the school for weeks. And you have a couple friends beside me to help you.

Him❤:
Okay, how about, I WANT my boo there with me today.

Better. But what makes you think I want you with me? XD

Him❤:
Because of last night.

I hate you.

Him❤:
You love me with a passion.

As true as this is.

Him❤:
See, told you.

I laugh as I enter school, and go to my locker. A fist scares me, as it slams down on the locker next to mine.

"Greg." Jake's alcoholic breath greets me, and I have to close my locker and take a few steps back.

"Bye, Jake." I start walking down the hall, but he grabs my bag, and pulls me to him.

"You're not allowed to leave, you fuckable bitch." I see his play toy for the month, Misty, and struggle.

Poor Misty. She's such a brilliant girl, but she's so lonely. She fell for him, and she won't ever be able to get out of that hold.

"Hey, Riley!" Cody runs over, but Jake's goons block him. Jake shoves me into the lockers, and I drop. "Riley!" Cody yells, and struggles.

"Cody... Cody, shut up." I whisper, and get up. I drop my phone and bag onto the ground, and Jake shoves me again. I brace myself for the fight ahead, even with the teachers watching, doing nothing.